Ensilage harvester



May 1927' A. M. BOXRUD ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed Dec. 21, 1.92 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 512872151" 626' 771,,B0xruxl May 1927' A. M. BOXRUD ENSILAGE HARVESTER sheets-sheet 2 Ewen??? aZf IYZBOXI'LLJ May 31, 1927;

1,630,603 A. M. BOXRUD ENSILAGE HARVESTER Filed Dec. '21, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 31,1927.

A. M. BOXRUD ENSILAGE HARVESTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1,630,603 May 31. 1927- BOXRUD ENS ILAGE HARVESTER Filed Dec. 21, 1920 I s Sheets-Sheet 5 j'zuerzi r May 31, 1927.

I 1,630,603 A. M. BOXRUD ENS ILAGE HARVES TER Filed Dec. 21, 1920 I QSheeE-Sheet 6 6i 2 g 8 Y Patented May 31, 1927.

UWHEB STATES ALF BOXRUD, OF MINIIIEAPOLlIS, MINNESOTA.

nnsrnnen nanvns'rnn.

Application filed December 21, 1920.

the butts, ensilage material such corn, sunflowers, alfalfa, clover, sweet clover, cow per and like vegetation, the feeding mechannsm heing adapted to pass the vegetation. top ends foremost, into the chopper and, prior to the severance of the stocks, to obtain a grip upon the vegetation, the top ends of relatively tall stocks severed.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind having a wide cutter element and a relatively narrow chopping device, to gether with means for directing the vegeration into the cutter, top ends foremost.

Another object is to supply a tiltable structure designed for attachment to a tractor, said structure carrying severing mechanism. chopping means and an elevator for the chopped product; also a superstructure carrying a self-dumping receptacle to receive the product from said elevator. r

Tith the foregoing and otherobjects in view, which will appear in the following description, the invention resides in the novel c mbination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

in the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of my improved ensilage harvester attachment, illustrated as applied to a tractor; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof: Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same; Fig. i is a longitudinal sectional view taken on. the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; 5 is a detail elevation of a tractor with my super structure and ensilage receptacle in place thereon, the tiltable frame and mechanism supported thereby being omitted: Fig. 6 is a rear elevation in detail of the ensilage receptacle; Fig. 7 is a plan view in detail illustrating a portion of the driving mechanism for the endless, movable bottom of said receptacle, also mechanism for throwing the some into and out of gear; Fig. 8 1s a longitudinal sectional view 111 detail of one of the being directed into the cl'iopper before their butt ends are Serial No. 432,224.

cross feeding devices employed to direct vegetation into the chopping mechanism, sa d ngure being taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9; Fig. 9 1s a detail sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative positions. of various parts of my device, together with the driving mechanism therefor.

h'ly improved attachment includes a main frame A adapted to be tiltably mounted upon a tractor with the forward end thereof extending forwardly of the tractor. A w 'ght 10 on said frame, at the rear of its pivotal. support, substantially counterbalanccs the weight of cutter, chopping and feeding mechanisliu and an elevator leading from the chopping mechanism, all located on said frame in front of the tractor.

said elevator. r i

The tilt-able frame A includes two side beams 11, which, in the present instance, are tiltable on pintles 12, projecting from the ends of the dead axle 13 of the tractor. The counterl dancing weight 10 is carried upon the ends ofsaid beams at the rear of the tractor and a cross brace 14: is employed to join the forward ends of said beams. Said cross brace let has forwardly projecting members terminating in upwardly turned tips, which n'ovide shoes 15 for slidably supporting the forward ends of the beams 11 uponthe ground. Upright supporting plates 42,.carried by the beams 11, and upright brackets lit seated on the cross piece 1%, supply supports for various parts of my structure, including the gatherer, chopper and elevator. y

A cutterD (Fig. 4) of usual form, trav erses the space between the shoes 15, the sicklebar 16 therein being connected at one My at tachment also includes a superstructureJ for the tractor and a receptacle C carried thereon in position to receive ensilage from end with a rocker-arm 17 extending rearwardly of the frame A and pivoted at its rearward extremity on one of the beams 11.

A crank 18 (lowerpart Fig. 8), connected through a pitman rod 19 with said rockerarm, is mounted on a shaft 20 driven through bevelgears 21 and 22 from a second shaft 23, said. second shaft being supplied with a sprocket wheel 24 connected through a chain with a sprocket 26 (F ig. 10) on the power shaft 26 of the tractor. The connection between said. shaft 23 and tractor is conveyors to the central conveyor.

such that the ordinary vertical oscillation of the tiltabl'e frame A will not materially effect the tension of said chain.

Three upwardly and rearwardly inclined conveyors c and 0 (Fig. 3), comprising part of the feeding mechanism, have their lower ends in close proximity to and slightly above the cutter D. These conveyors are of the endless type, each comprising a pair of chains 27 or aprons carryingtransverse slats or cleats 28. A shaft .29, journaled in the side members of the frame A. just above the cutter D, carries sprocket wheels 30 for the chains 27 of said conveyors. Two aligned idler shafts 31, journaled in said frame above and at the rear of said shaft 29, carry sprocket wheels 32 for the chains 27of the outer conveyors c, A third idler shaft 38, journaled in said frame A at the rear of and paallel with said idler shafts 31, carry sprocket wheels 32 for the chains 9170f the central conveyor 0. These idler shafts 3-1 are arranged, as described, so that the upper run of the central conveyor 0 will occupy a plane beneath that of the upper runs of the outer conveyor 0 and thereby form a step-down from the outer The shaft Edisturned in a direction to drive ill the conveyors "o and c.

the upper runs of saidconveyors c and c rearwardly, said shaft having a driving sprocket 3 f: thereon propelled through a chain 35 driven from a. sprocket wheel 36 jourualed on a stub shaft 37 secured to the frame A. This sprocket wheel 36 is integral with aspur gear 38 meshing with a spur gear 39 on the shaft .23. ahove described.

Another element of the feeder is furnished in an extensible and collapsible gatherer E, which is provided to direct the top ends of vegetation into the grip 'iiur' throat formed between said gathercr and Said gathercr E comprises a pairof sectional reaches all). the lower ends thereof heing pivoted on a shaft 41 journaled transversely in supportingplates 42 on the side beams 11. This shaft is fitted with a pair of fixed spaced sprocket wheels 43, carrying: the rearward turns of an endlesschain l-1i and driving the same.

The forward turns of said chains pass over idler sprockets 45 journaled on" a transverse shaft 46 mounted 1n thoouter ends of the reaches 40. Spaced transverse slats 457 are secured near their ends to the chains 44, the

links of which are capable of being" discon- (ill nected so that the apron, composed of said ohalns and e8 at one end thereof. A chain t9. passing oversaid sprocket Wheel 48 and over a sprocket wheel 50 on the shaft 23. transmits motion from the latter shaft to the former.

- shaft 23.

the incoming vegetation from said outcr' conveyors to the central conveyor 0. "llhu chopper G (Fig. ail, at the head of the ccr|- tral conveyor 1:, receives the vcgetzuion and reduces it to a form suitahle for cusilacc purposes. Said cross feeding devices are substantially identical each including a housing having a forward all (.lfigr: and 9), a rear wall 53 extending: cour' lcrably beneath the lower edge of the forward wall to form a stop-platc oil and a Wild) joining said walls at top and ends thereof. The forward wall Fifi (Fig. 8) is formed with an inner way at. A11 endless chain or, carried on idler sprockets iii-ll and :1 driving sprocket 5!), between the walls 512 and mi of the housing, pivotally support a plurality of depending arms (30. Reaches (if on aaid arms, aresupplied at their outer ends with rolle 62 designed to travel in the way it. The runs of the way 56 and chain ii? are so directed that in the workiu swig-op the arms 60 will he slig'htly tilted from the ]|!l. pendicular and traveltoward the head of it t l iltl slightly from the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 8. i The relation of the current id chain andways oil result in lifting the arms 60 vertically at the inner mttl'tillllijfl of their working strokes, than frcciu g the urine from the vegetation and clearing: the auuu: from the path of that following. ii l n'oaching initial. position in their u: "or stroke at the outer ends of the cross iced devices, the lower ends of said arms (Eli are tilted outward sons to gather in the regulation at the outer margins of the outer couvoyorsc. T he driving sprocket fill in each of my cross feeding devices is fired on a shaft 63 jonrnalcd inthc walls 1 tit? of the housing. Ji. srarund sprocket (i i; on said shaft carries a chain (it: reaching down-- Ward to a sprocket wheel at on a. stuli slurl't 67 journalcd in the hrackets (Girl on the fro A. A bevel gear (if) tired on said stuh an G7 meshes with a conu muirm gear 70 on the Slightlyabove and at the roar of the head of the central conveyor a, tori-an i my chopper (l\ which inrlurhs a trauma i sin tionary shearing hlade T L and a plurality of spirally arraneiv'l rcvolul lehladcs T carried by spokes or webs on a shaft Til jouriuil 1 l in the liirackcts ll and in one ol the plaice 42 of the frame A. This si'iactt supplied with a pulley "a receiving the forward turn till of belt passing over a second pulley 76 on the power shatt 26 of the tractor. Interposed between the chopper G and the upper turn of the central conveyor 0 are a pair of feeding rollers 77 and T8 tlfor the chopper. The lower roller 77 is arricd on a shaft 75) journaled at its ends in the brackets 11. A. sprocket wheel 80 on said shalt '79 is coni'ieeted through a chain hluvith a sprocket wheel 82 on a sl'ia'lit 831 hereinafter referred to. The upper roller 78 carried on a shaft tld. ournaled at the eXtreuiitir-s of said roller in the hracltcts ll one end of said shaft being extended through one of the plates and also journaled thercnn. A sprocket wheel. 85 on said. sl alt 8% connected through a chain So with a. sprocket wheel t3? on the chopper shaft 73. Cranks 88 are formed on the roller thzitt ill for operating a transverse feeding claw ll. This claw coniprises a yoke, the reach hctwcen its :1 including a lepending plate 8?) rated at its lower edge. The arms 90 of said yoke rest approximately horizontally the ends thereof being pivotalljv cmuiected with the lower ends of uprightlinlts S ll joined. at their iu'uier ends to a rocker-shalt 91 on the elevator housing 92, said roc er-shatt being, journaled in lugs 92 on said housing. Armsv 93, (ZlQPQlMllng from the arms llll of the yoke join the same with the cranks 88 on said roller sl aft 8-4:. Rotation of this shaft iui mrts a clawing motion to the serrated edge of the plate 89, said edge being lowered in front of the gap between the rollers 77 a d T8 and, at the same time pulled rcarwardly toward suit gap then returned to its elevated position. thus completing; its cycle of more nent.

The ele *ator I includes spaced endless chains 94; witlrbuckets 95 thereon and the elevator houslng The sl alt 83, ahovo u'lentioned, is suitably Journalcd in the brackets l and pivotull supports the olevutor LOLSlllQ' 92 at its lower end and ca ries spaced sprocket wheels 97, beneath which the lower turns of the chains 94; )ass. A haft 98, journaled at its ends in; the 'idcs al the elevator housing seem-us sprocaets all over which the upper turns of said chains 9-1; travel. A spur gear- 73 a on the chopper shaft 73, meshes with a larg'er spur gear 83 on the shaft 83, aid gears serving to transmit motion from the "former shaftto the latter. A pocket in the lower end of the housing 92, receives ensilagre from the chopper G and the buckets 95 pick the ensilao'e from said pocket, carry it to the top' ofthe elevator and discharge it thr ugh an opening 101 in the housing 92 into a trough 102. ei'npt ving into the ensilage receptacle C. The frame A, being free to oscillate in corniensating for irregularities in the ground surface, causes the elevator torise and ful. through short distances. I provide a yield ing slidable support:- t'or the uoper end of the elevator to permit, such motion andto allow for its slight changes in inclination, when so moved. Brackets 1.03, reaching forwardly from the superstructure ll and passing upon either side o t the elevator housing supptrt two tre isverse rods ltl l and lUfhthe former being; lixci l at its ends in the brackets .103 and. the latter sli -"-l lv uuuiutcd at the ends there-ct in horixo, l slot lull in said brackets. 'llie hou {)2 passes between these rods llll and 10o and rollers ll)? thereon revoluliilv hear against the torn ard and rear sides oil said i The rot 1.05 niuv be shifted torwa" for press re against the action of springs 105 which 10in said rod wit the stationary rod 104, said springs l liciiu zulaptcd to retract said rod 105 and hold the rollers lll'? thereon against slides 109 on the taco ol the housing: 92.

'lhe gather-er l ulrorc dcicrihcd, adir-Atcd and :-;ecurcd in various angular posiions by the t l-Jollowingmechanism: wi l crosspiccc loll). secured beneath the reaches i0, is supplied at its ends with leaders lll reaching rearward to a spreader bar lli. Cables 113, passing; rearward from the spre: dcr her 112, extend over g' 'uu'le pullers llee on the said chains the gatherer E is lifted and in the paviiu: out oi said chains, the gatherer is li'uverewl. l t will thus he can that liv turning the crank 13.0 the gullioi'cl."1112f. he set; at any d d ang'hu the same being lacd against ac idcntal 0 locking zr-tion oi" thewm-ru wheel fl? and v0 n1 lltl. 'l hc :ulranced positions o'lthc guide pullers ill free ''ro-ui obstructions the reaches of tee cal lcs 113 between said pulleys and spreader bar 1l2, when the gatherer l "her-toned and lowered for handling exceptional, short. vegetation as shown in dotted lines l.

The enwilage recqiitaclc G is carried upon the superstructure J, which comprises uprights 121 carried liv'the tractor and cross by diagonal stay rods 122. Sa1dre braced eeptac-le has forward and rear ends 123, gates f/ :lomningsides and asel't' dumping;- floor f. Said floor comprise generally an endless apron carried at its tu us on revoluble supports. I prefer to 01111310}! an apron consisting of spaced endless chains 1% ing placed directly beneath the upper an of car ving slats 195, a stationaryplate 126 lie-i 'a the supers ructure J. A.

disnlaccinont owing to the 7 -mechanism operative.

In a device of the class described, an ensilage chopper, a cutter for severing rooted talks and a tlu'oat-like feeder comprising upper and lowe traveling members for grippingstalks in the grip of said members, mtwecn t-l "in and directing said stalks, tops first, into iid chopper, said upper traveling member extending forwardly of said lower member and adjustable vertically to suit vet: ,tion of arious heights.

" a device ofthe class described, the

a). combina ion witha tractor of a floating me mounted upon the tractor, a cutter, a chopper, a c nveyor passingif'rom the forincl to the latter and an elevator leading from the chopper, all carried by said frame, "solo on the tractor frame for receiv- 'oin the elevator, an endless in receptac e and driving means for 01' crating the cutter, chopper, conveyor, elevator and movable floor, said being propelled from the tractor chanisn'i.

4:. in a device of the class described, the ccmhiimtimi with a t-actor, of afloating frame on the tractor ZllltllJ-Xtfilldlllg fori' thereof, a receptacle for ensilage carcd upon the tractor, a chopper, means for feeding ensilage material thereto, tops first, a cat 51- to sever the stalks of said material at the lo s thereof, a tiltable elevator to carry lag-re from the chopper to said receptacle, said chopper, cutter and elevator being ,arried by said'tiltable frame, and means on the tractor forislidably supporting oper end of the elevator.

u 2i i l QUE-31 age recei ing receptacle, saic receptacle having gates at its sides and an endless reversible bottom, driving means propelled by the tractor mechanism and operatively connected with said bottom for moving the same and mechanism controlled by the lowcring o". aid gates to render said driving In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a support on the tractor carrying a chopper for ensilage material, a sta k severing cutter, an elevator for ensilage leading from said chopper and an cnsilage receiving receptacle, said recept having gates at its sides and an endless reversible bottom, driving means propelled by the tractor mechanism and operatively cdnnectcd with said bottom for moving the same, mechanism controlled by the lowering of id gates to render said driving mechanisn'i operative, and a safety device co-operating with said gates and adapted to prevent the same from being lowered simultaneously.

in a device of the class described, the- 7. In a device of the class described, an

ensilage chopper, a cutter for severing rooted stalks and a thr-oat-likefee'der including,

upper and lower traveling members for taking and directing the stalks in their grasp, topsfirst, into said chopper prior to the severance thereof by said cutter.

In a device of the class described, a chopper, feeder including co-operatmg power driven members, aid feeder being adapted to take and direct ensilage material intosaid chopper, tops first, without inerr-option in its hold on said materialpand a cutter for severing the ensilage material engagement by said 10. in a device of the class described, a

relativelywide cutter forsevering ensilage material near the butts of its stalks, a relatively narrow chopper at the rearof the cutter, a feeder for directing the ensilage mate rial into the chopper, top ends foremost, said feeder including upper andlower traveling members converging toward the chopper, means for actuating said traveling members, also opposed traveling members att-he sides of the chopper, and means for actuating said latter traveling members.

ll. In a device of theclass described, a relatively wide cutter for severing ensilage materialnear the butts of its stalks, a relatively narrow chopper at the rear of the cut ter and a feeder for gathering the severed material laterally and simultaneously directing the same into said narrow chopper, top ends foremost. i

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a frame mounted thereon, a cutter for ensilage material, a chopper, a conveyor leading from the cutter toward the chopper, feeding rolls at the mouth of the chopper, a claw interposed between the feeding rolls and the delivery end of the conveyor, all carried by said frame and means propelled by the tractor mechanism for driving said cutter, clmpper, conveyor, feeding rolls and claw.

13. in a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a frame mounted thereon, a horizontally disposed chopper, a horizontally disposed cutter, an endless conveyor leading from the latter to the former, a forwardly extending gatherer, all mounted on said frame, said gatherer comprising a vertically tiltable endless apron, the lower run thereof forming in 'CQmlJIIHLiJIQR with the upper run of the conveyor a gripping throat for feeding ensiiage into the chopper, and means for tilting said apron.

1a. In a device of the class described, ithe combination with a t'actor, oi. a frame onounted thereon, a horizontally disposed cutter onsaid frame, a horizontallydisposed chopper above and at the rear of said cutter, ran upwardly inclinedendless conveyor lleading ctromithe cutter to ;the chopper, a gatherer comprising a vertically tiltable end iless apron extending considerably l'forward of the cutter and together with the upper run of the conveyo rdetailing a feeding throat leadingto the chop per,means for propelling the apron at a speed greater than the travelling speed oil? the tractor, the lower run of said" apron being designed to direct the top ends of vegetation intosaid throat prior :to the severance thereof, at its butts, by said cutter, and means for tilting said apron.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor of a floating i'lranie pivotally mounted t-lIGEBOH and resting atits free end upon the ground, a cntter 1 01 ensilage unaterial, a chopper, a conveyor leading from the former to the latter and a tiltable elevator leading from the chopper, said cutter, chopper, c011- veyonand elevator being carried upon said ,tiltable frame, a superstructure on the tractor, an iensilage receptacle thereon "for receiving ensilage from the elevator and a yielding support for the upper or free end.

of the elevator.

l6. In a device of the class LlOSClllJQCl, the coinbinatlon with a tractor of a frame thereon,a cutter and chopper on said :t'ame,

thereomla cutter and chopper on said frame,

Man inner-[conveyor leading from the cutter to the'chopper, outer conveyors also leading from the cutter and extending in the general direction of said inner-conveyor, means for driving said conveyors, cross feed devices at the heads of said outer conveyors, each iath arms Jivoted on and dc nendin r "from 7 said chain, said arms in their lower working sweep passing closely ad acent to the head of their corresponding outer conveyor,

reaches on said arms, rollers on said reaches and a ay in said housing in which said rollers ride. i

18. in a device ol: the class described,

the coml'iination with a tractor, of a frame mounted thereon, a chopper, a cutter for en silage material, ,a conveyor leading rearwardly from the cutter to the chopper and a forwardly extending tiitable gatherer forming in combination with said conveyor an adjustable "ripping throat opening into said chopper, all carried by said frame, and means for tilting said gatherer.

19.111 a device oi the class described, the combination with a tractor, ot' a frame mounted thereon, a chopper, a cutterilor ensilage material, a conveyor leading rear wardly from the cutter to the chopper and a forwardly extending, extensiblcand contractible gatherer tiltable vertically and forming in combination with said conveyor a gripping throat opening into said chopper, all carried bysaid frame, and means for tilting said gathercr.

20. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tractor, of a frame mounted thereon, a chopper, a cutter for ensilage material, a conveyor leading rearwardly from the cutter to the chopper and a :t'orwardly extending and vertically tiltablc gatherer forming in combination with said conveyor a gripping throat opening into said chopper, all carried by said frame, and means for tilting said gatherer.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ALF M. BOXR'UD.

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